Tanzania Fires Strong Warning to Super Eagles Ahead of AFCON 2027 Qualifier
- A Tanzania Football Federation official told reporters his side are not intimidated by Nigeria ahead of their doubleheader AFCON qualifier
- Nigeria desperately need points from the two matches to finish top of Group L after losing 3-0 to Guinea-Bissau in matchday two
- Tanzania have already secured their place at the 2027 AFCON as co-hosts alongside Kenya and Uganda, making the tie a formality for them
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A Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) official has put the Super Eagles on notice ahead of their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying doubleheader, declaring that his country's players are ready to fight for a result regardless of Nigeria's reputation.
TFF official Almasi Kasongo made the remarks after the Tanzanian delegation touched down in Uyo, where the first of two back-to-back matches will take place. The return leg will be hosted in Zanzibar.
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"We are not scared. Football is a game of 90 minutes. We know the quality of Nigeria's players and their pedigree," Kasongo said via Pulse Sports.
"We are well prepared and have players from the local scene and abroad who are equal to the task as well. We are here to fight and get a result. We recognise Nigeria's quality, but we will go to the stadium to get a result."
High-stakes match for Nigeria
While the fixtures carry little competitive weight for Tanzania, who have already booked their place at the 2027 tournament as one of its three co-hosts alongside Kenya and Uganda, the situation is very different for the Super Eagles.
Nigeria currently sit in a precarious position in Group L after a mixed start to the qualifying campaign. The Eagles opened with a 2-1 win over Madagascar on matchday one, but suffered a heavy 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau in their second game.
Guinea-Bissau, who have also beaten Tanzania, emerge as the main threat to Nigeria's chances of claiming the group's sole available qualification spot.
Tanzania's own record shows they lost to Guinea-Bissau and drew with Madagascar in their first two matches, leaving them with little to play for when the two sides meet.
As noted by London Evening Standard, the most recent clash between Nigeria and Tanzania came at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations group stage, where the Super Eagles came out on top. Ademola Lookman and Semi Ajayi both scored to secure Nigeria the victory on that occasion.
With qualification still very much up for grabs, the pressure will be firmly on the home side to deliver results across both legs and keep their 2027 AFCON hopes alive.
Eric Chelle trained 11 players
Legit.ng previously reported that Eric Chelle oversaw Super Eagles’ first training session at Godswill Akpabio Stadium on Tuesday with only 11 players.
The team had their first training session with the only available players. Centurions Alex Iwobi and Moses Simon are among those who trained.
Source: Legit.ng
